New Robotics Manufacturing unit Coming to Pittsburgh
PITTSBURGH, PA – JANUARY 18, 2023 — Innovation Works, together with the Pittsburgh Robotics Community and different regional companions, launch the Robotics Manufacturing unit, a set of inter-related applications which can be a part of the $63 million Construct Again Higher Regional Problem grant awarded by the U.S. Financial Growth Administration (EDA) to the Southwestern Pennsylvania New Financial system Collaborative. The Robotics Manufacturing unit will create, speed up and scale robotics startups within the Pittsburgh area. The accelerator program kicks off first with functions opening February 1, 2023 for startup firms in robotics, robotics-adjacent sectors, and different superior applied sciences which can be – or might be – associated to robotics. people ought to go to www.roboticsfactory.org for extra details about the accelerator program.
The regional EDA grant permits southwestern Pennsylvania to grab a once-in-a-generation alternative to additional the regional robotics and autonomy cluster – a sector for which Pittsburgh’s experience and management are globally acknowledged. It’s funding 5 regional tasks – together with the Robotics Manufacturing unit – which collectively are designed to rework individuals and locations throughout all of southwestern PA by offering long-term alternatives for people, companies and communities to change into concerned on this burgeoning sector, particularly those that have been excluded from alternatives for employment, wealth creation and innovation generated by robotics and autonomy.
The Robotics Manufacturing unit is being led by Innovation Works (IW) to additional develop a globally outstanding robotics ecosystem within the Pittsburgh area. With four-year help from the EDA, Innovation Works will match a portion of the $12 million offered by the EDA with further working and funding capital to offer seed funding to chose startups to assist them develop.
The Robotics Manufacturing unit will create startups centered on industry-identified challenges that require robotics and associated improvements, speed up the expansion of startups, and scale up manufacturing. The Robotics Manufacturing unit includes the next three applications:
Create: The Robotics Manufacturing unit – Create program will drive innovation to satisfy {industry} calls for by bringing entrepreneurs, expertise consultants, and researchers along with particular {industry} consultants to outline present and rising issues and determine options collectively. IW and the Pittsburgh Robotics Community will convene and facilitate a number of workshops per 12 months, every workshop centered on one particular {industry}/buyer section (ex. agriculture, building, aviation, and so on.). Quite a few entrepreneurs, expertise consultants, and researchers from southwestern Pennsylvania will probably be chosen to satisfy with {industry} leaders to grasp their ache factors and collaborate on creating progressive options to those issues/outlined wants.
Speed up: The Robotics Manufacturing unit – Speed up program is a chance for as much as six pre-seed robotics startups to obtain as much as $100,000 in funding from IW, mentorship, and assets to take their firm to the subsequent stage of development. Just like IW’s nationally ranked AlphaLab accelerators, the Robotics Manufacturing unit accelerator is an intensive, seven-month program, throughout which firms will transfer into the Robotics Manufacturing unit’s co-working area, have entry to manufacturing and robotics assets together with a production-grade prototype store and robotic lab, and obtain teaching and help tailor-made to their particular enterprise wants. The individuals may also have entry to mentorship alternatives with different Pittsburgh-based robotics firms and nationwide and world industrial companions through the Pittsburgh Robotics Community. Startup firms in robotics and robotics-adjacent sectors, in addition to different superior applied sciences that relate to automation, are inspired to use for the accelerator when the one-month software interval opens February 1, 2023.
Scale: The Robotics Manufacturing unit – Scale program offers experience in product prototypes and companies to assist startups develop production-ready merchandise. This system offers in-house design for manufacturing, provide chain administration, prototyping help, and entry to the area’s expansive manufacturing assets. The Robotics Manufacturing unit features a production-grade prototype store with in-house employees to help product improvement and low-rate manufacturing, in addition to specializing in the manufacturing of complicated bodily merchandise. By contemplating manufacturing in the course of the early design phases, firms can quickly develop, deploy their applied sciences and obtain scale extra rapidly.
“The Robotics Manufacturing unit will additional the area’s efforts to develop robotics startups and hyperlink them to {industry} and manufacturing capabilities,” mentioned Ven Raju, president & CEO of Innovation Works. “What captured the eye of the EDA and made the Southwestern Pennsylvania software stand out for the aggressive Construct Again Higher grant was the area’s cohesive strategy to constructing and leveraging the workforce and capabilities of robotics industries.” Talking in regards to the IW-led initiative that’s a part of the higher Construct Again Higher Regional Problem, Ven continued, “Not solely will the Robotics Manufacturing unit applications deal with present issues skilled by industries that may be solved utilizing robotics and automation options, we plan to additionally present the assets and funding which can be so vital to rising firms. Collectively, the Robotics Manufacturing unit Create, Speed up and Scale applications will probably be dynamic additions to one of many area’s most necessary financial engines.”
Mike Formica, Managing Director of {Hardware} for Innovation Works, added, “The expert staff and particular capabilities of the Robotics Manufacturing unit applications will make significant connections that profit each rising startups and the hundreds of producers within the area. By beginning and rising firms that construct their merchandise domestically, we offer alternatives for broader regional job development.”
